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"King Gondophares, the Saviour".
Winged Nike holding a diadem, with a Kharoshti legend: Maharajasa Gudaphanisa tratarasa
Gondophares was the first king of the Indo-Parthian Kingdom. He seems to have ruled around 21-50 AD. He mainly controlled the Kabul valley and the Punjab area.
Gondophares is associated to St Thomas in early Christian tradition. St Thomas was sent to India as an apostle, encountered Gondophares there, and allegedly suffered martyrdom, before being redeemed. St Thomas thereafter went to Madras and founded the South Indian Christian community. A church there is named in his honor.
The Indo-Parthian Kingdom barely lasted one century. It started to fragment under Gondophares' successor Abdagases I. The eastern part was conquered by the Kushans around 75 AD.
After that point the kingdom was essentially restricted to Afghanistan. The last king Pakores (AD 100 - 135) only ruled Sakastan and Turan.
| Preceded by: ---- | Indo-Parthian Ruler | Succeeded by: ... Abdagases I |